1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to pneumatic tube systems and particularly to terminal constructions for such systems. In particular, the invention relates to a terminal construction preferably for use in a single tube pneumatic tube system in which a swing tube section is pivotally mounted in the terminal for changing the direction of movement of incoming and outgoing carriers and for presentation of the carrier to the user of the system to eliminate costly and space occupying curved tube bend sections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many types of terminal constructions are used in pneumatic tube systems depending upon the particular requirement of the system, the types of material to be conveyed between terminals, and the position in which the terminals are installed in relation to the location of the pneumatic tube system tubes. Prior terminals in many installations have been large and unsightly because of the need for providing space within the terminal to form a bend, usually 90.degree., in the incoming pneumatic tube. Such bends are required to change the orientation of a carrier from its usual incoming vertical position to a horizontal position for delivery to a customer or teller, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,763,446 and 1,660,293.
Various terminal constructions and arrangements have been used in an attempt to eliminate such increased terminal size required for forming such bends. The tube bends normally are formed adjacent the terminal, sometimes below ground which is costly and which presents maintenance problems. Alternatively, the tube is formed with an enlarged diameter at the bend area to reduce the arcuate length usually required. This also presents problems in securing satisfactory sealing of the carrier and carrier wear rings with the tube walls at the bend, and occasionally results in the carrier becoming wedged in the reduced bend radius.
Many types of swing tube arrangements have been used in pneumatic tube systems for switching between branch lines in the system, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,281,093, 3,367,603 and 3,762,664. These swing tube arrangements, however, are not located in or formed as part of a terminal, and they do not provide for changing the direction of carrier movement from vertical to horizontal and vice versa within the confined space of a terminal.
A need, thus has existed for a pneumatic tube system terminal construction which enables the direction of carrier travel to be changed within a terminal from vertical to horizontal without a 90.degree. tube bend heretofore required, thereby reducing the size of the terminal, which terminal construction performs satisfactorily in a single tube pneumatic tube system, and which terminal construction may be used in conjunction with different types of mechanism for delivery of the carrier from the terminal to a customer or teller.